Travel Information Iran

Travel map of Iran by tour operator OVERCROSS

1. General travel information about Iran
2. Travel climate in Iran
3. Geography of Iran
4. Flora and fauna in Iran
5. National parks and nature conservation in Iran
6. Population in Iran
7. Politics and economy in Iran
8. Transport network in Iran
9. Cities and regions in Iran
10. Culture and sights in Iran
11. Holidays in Iran
12. Medical information about Iran
13. Travel information about Iran
14. Foreign representation in Iran
15. Sources for Iran

1. General travel information about Iran (Persia)

back to top of page

2. Travel climate in Iran

Regionally, Iran has very different climates, as it is influenced on the one hand by cold air currents from Central Asia and Siberia, and on the other hand by humid warm Mediterranean air masses from the west, and in summer it is traversed by the northeastern trade wind from the dry, hot Central Asia. In addition, the local climate is influenced by the various geographical conditions in Iran. In the humid mountain regions of northern and western Iran, it rains relatively much; the continental location causes very hot summers and very cold winters. The mountains shield the plateau, which accounts for two thirds of the country's area, from the moisture coming in from the west. Thus, it is dry there, the amount of precipitation fluctuates greatly, and the temperature differences between summer and winter are even more extreme than in the aforementioned mountains. Frost, on the other hand, is unknown to the narrow coastal strip along the Gulf coast, where winters are mild and summers unbearably hot due to extreme humidity. It almost never rains here.
The climate of the Caspian coastal lowland is fundamentally different from the rest of the country. The winds blowing from the northeast absorb moisture over the Caspian Sea and deposit it on the mountain ranges. This makes the lowland strip humid all year round. In contrast to the plateau, the climate is less extreme, the winters are mild, and the summers are warm. From May to September, the northwest wind blows through Iran on average 120 days.

back to top of page

3. Geography of Iran

Iran is located in western Asia between the Caspian Sea in the north and the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf in the south. The country borders Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia to the west and northwest, Turkmenistan to the northeast and east, and Afghanistan and Pakistan to the east and southeast.
Iran's territory, which covers about 1,648,000 km², consists largely of high mountains and dry, desert-like basins.
The highland, which is divided by a series of different basins, takes up about two thirds of the territory. The range of these basins, which lie at elevations between 200 m and 1,500 m above sea level, extends from a few square kilometers in size to the huge basins of the Lut and the Great Kavir.
The Iranian highland, dominated by gravel, stone, and sand deserts, is bordered in the west, southwest, and south by the Zagros and Kuhrud mountain ranges, with peaks rising to over 4,500 meters above sea level. The north of Iran is dominated by the mountains of the Armenian-Azerbaijani mountain knot and the Talysch Mountains, which reach to the Turkmen border and transition into the Kopet-Dag mountain range. Here, near the capital Tehran, lies the highest mountain of the Near East at 5,670 m, the dormant, glacier-covered volcano Damavand, but also the 4,840 m high Alam-Kuh. The almost 6,000 meter difference in elevation from the Caspian Sea to the Damavand, just 60 km away, is among the steepest climbs in the world.
The north slopes of the Iranian highland (Talysch, Kopet-Dag) drain into the Caspian Sea via short rivers; the flanks of Zagros and Kuhrud, lying to the west and south, among others, drain via the river system of the Karkheh and Iran’s longest river, the Karun (about 850 km), into the Tigris and subsequently into the Persian Gulf. However, two thirds of Iran’s territory drains into endorheic basins, where water collects in saline lakes in spring or seeps away. The salt lakes, like the large Lake Urmia, are increasingly drying up during the hot season due to diversion and damming measures.
The few lowlands of Iran lie on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea, which merges into Turkmen steppe to the east, and on the Persian Gulf, where a spur of the Mesopotamian lowland forms a narrow coastal strip in the west of the country.

back to top of page

4. Flora and fauna in Iran

Iran's natural vegetation, which has been intensively influenced and destroyed by thousands of years of human land use, can be divided into four zones:
1) Deserts and semi-deserts. They are covered with vegetation on less than a third of their area.
2) Dry forests in the mountains, among others with various oaks, maples, hornbeams, ashes, junipers, oleanders and myrtles, and shrubs such as pomegranate bushes, hawthorns and rose plants. The dry forests, with increasing altitude, especially on the mountain slopes to the highlands, transition into mountain almond-pistachio groves.
3) Species-rich moist forests, which occur only between the Caspian Sea and the adjacent mountains (Hyrcanian or Caspian forest) with chestnut-leaved oak, ironwood, elms, beeches (including the rare oriental beech), maples, box trees or blackberries as well as cypresses in special locations.
4) Other forms. Marsh and swamp plants adapted to higher salt concentrations in the endorheic basins and willow and poplar stands along rivers and carnation plants in the sand dunes.
 

Mountain landscape in Iran

The wildlife in Iran is diverse according to the various vegetation zones mentioned above. There are steppe and semi-desert inhabitants such as gazelles and onagers, mountain animals like wild sheep and wild goats, in the forests red deer, and at the Caspian Sea many bird species such as pheasants, partridges and steppe chickens, golden eagles, falcons, bearded and lammergeiers. The Pleske's jay is unique to Iran. In addition, larger predators such as hyenas, jackals, and foxes can be found, and in remote areas even brown bears, cheetahs, and leopards live. When fishing in the Caspian Sea, sturgeon is especially sought after for the production of caviar.

back to top of page

5. National Parks and Nature Conservation in Iran

Rapid industrialization has led to major environmental impacts and health damage from air pollution in Iran's major cities, although these issues receive little attention in political discussions. Iran is now among the most energy-intensive countries in the world. Water scarcity is also one of the self-made problems due to disproportionately high consumption. In the cities, the groundwater level is continuously falling, and many of the wetlands in the country are threatened with drying up. The Iranian nuclear program also contributes to endangering the environment: several nuclear facilities are located on seismically particularly threatened areas.
A sustainable protection and utilization concept is currently being developed for the Hyrcanian forest on the Caspian Sea and for Lake Urmia. In addition, several protected areas such as the Arasbaran Reserve, the Touran Reserve, the Golestan National Park, and the Kavir National Park and further protection zones have been designated.

Golestan National Park:
Founded in 1976 on the basis of two existing protected areas, Golestan National Park is the oldest national park in Iran.
It is located in Golestan Province in the northeast of the country in the transition area between the eastern foothills of the Elburz Mountains and the western foothills of the Kopet Dag, and covers an area of about 920 km². The Golestan National Park, located at 1000 - 1400 m above sea level, is known for its temperate rainforests, but also includes open habitats such as grass steppes, shrub regions, and rocky areas. The extremely diverse landscape zones result in a rich animal world characterized by leopards, wolves, wild boars, maral deer, roe deer, steppe wild sheep, wild goats, and goitered gazelles. The national park, which is threatened by poaching, is crossed by the Asian Highway, which leads to disturbances in the ecological balance and is intended to be changed.

Kavir National Park:
Kavir National Park in Iran is a 4,000 square kilometer nature reserve on the western edge of the Kavir Desert (Dasht-e Kavir), 120 km south of Tehran and 100 km east of Qom. In the desert and steppe landscape of the park live wild goats, wild sheep, striped hyenas, wolves, and gazelles as well as the rare Asiatic cheetahs and Persian leopard. The plant life of the desert consists mainly of succulents. At the edge of the national park is the salt lake Daryācheh-ye Namak, a salt meadow, which is fed in the north by the Qom river, which flows through the northern part of the national park and is one of the few rivers in Iran that have water all year round.

Touran National Park:
The Touran Protected Area is, at about 11,000 square kilometers, the second largest protected area in Iran. The 1,180 square kilometer Touran National Park and the Touran Wildlife Reserve are located in the northeast of Iran in Semnan Province. Due to the inhospitable conditions of the area, a number of species have survived here that have already become extinct in many other parts of Iran. Thus, the protected area is one of the last two refuges of the Persian onager and one of the last refuges for the Asiatic cheetah. The ungulate species of the park include, in addition to the onagers, wild sheep, wild goats, and two species of gazelle (Indian gazelle and goitered gazelle). Among the breeding birds are the houbara bustard, the Pleske’s jay endemic to Iran, and the wallcreeper.

Lake Urmia National Park:
Threatened by drying up and salinization, Lake Urmia in the northwest of Iran had, until a few years ago, an area of 5,470 km², making it ten times larger than Lake Constance with an average depth of around 7 m. The salt content of the endorheic steppe lake, located at 1,280 m above sea level, is up to 30%, about the same as the Dead Sea. This provides virtually no habitat for higher animal and plant species. However, brine shrimp defy the high salt content. The lake drains an area of 51,000 km², mainly via the Zarrine-Rūd, which flows into the lake from the south. Due to changes in the microclimate and damming of inflows, the water level has continuously declined in recent decades, and due to the increasing salt concentration, the habitat for the brine shrimp living in the lake, and thus the food source for many local bird species, has been threatened. In 2022, the lake’s surface had already shrunk to a quarter of its original size. As part of politically debated rescue measures, Lake Urmia, classified as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1976, was declared a national park and protected area, which, among other things, provides a home for flamingos and pelicans that feed on the shrimp from the lake. Pistachio forests grow on some islands. On the island of Kabūdān, Armenian wild sheep were introduced, which then multiplied significantly. A population of the rare Mesopotamian fallow deer was also released on the island.

back to top of page

6. Population in Iran

Ethnically, between 60 and 65% of Iranians identify as Persians. The second largest population group in Iran are Azerbaijani Turks, with 17–21%. The Iranian plateau is almost exclusively populated by Persians. West of this settlement area live 7–10% Kurds (mostly Sunnis) and 6% Lurs (tendentially Shiite). In the east, 2% are Sunni Baluchis, on the southwestern border with Iraq 2% Arabs. Smaller population groups are the Bakhtiari, Turkmen, Qashqai, Armenians, and others. In addition, there are over 2 million Afghan refugees in Iran.
The only official language of Iran is Persian, but due to the diverse ethnic composition, a number of other languages are also in use. As the language of the Quran, Arabic must be taught as the first foreign language in all schools. English is the second foreign language that is offered.
With officially more than 99% Muslims, the Iranian constitution does recognize Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism as religious minorities, but they are subject to a ban on proselytizing. Muslims who convert from their faith face the death penalty. Practically, religious minorities are exposed to subtle forms of discrimination, e.g., when seeking employment.
 

The Blue Mosque in Tabriz/Iran

back to top of page

7. Politics and Economy in Iran

The complex political structures of Iran cannot be compared to our European, democratic political systems. Iran is a presidential theocracy, which does have a head of government as president in the executive branch, but this president only holds the second highest office in the state. The highest office is strictly defined by religion (theocracy) and is held by the "Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution", since 1989 Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, who is appointed for an indefinite period by the so-called "Council of Experts" and holds extensive powers. For example, he appoints the president and other high-ranking state officials such as the supreme judge, is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and has the final word on fundamental political issues and, if necessary, in detail. The Council of Experts, in turn, a body of clerics, is elected by the people for 8 years, as is the parliament, which is appointed for 4 years. However, there are no parties in the democratic sense (rather political camps), individuals are elected. The president is also elected directly by the people for 4 years and forms a cabinet, the individual ministers of which must be approved by the parliament. In legislation, which can be initiated by both the government and the parliament, two control instances come into play, the "Guardian Council" and the "Expediency Council". The Guardian Council (consisting of 6 Islamic legal scholars selected by the Supreme Leader and 6 legal experts appointed by parliament) interprets the constitution and is involved in the preselection of candidates for parliamentary, presidential, and Council of Experts elections. The Expediency Council is composed of members of the various bodies and committees (Guardian Council, executive, judiciary, legislature, and other members directly appointed by the Supreme Leader). It mediates when the Guardian Council deems parliamentary legislative procedures unconstitutional.
Since the 2021 presidential election, the ultra-conservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi has been the 8th President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Since his inauguration, sanctions have been tightened and the country faces economic challenges, mainly from the EU and USA.
In terms of foreign policy, Iran has been striving overall to improve relations with the international community since President Raisi took office. This is underlined by the Vienna Agreement on the Iranian nuclear program. There are also efforts to improve relations with other countries in the region through increased state visits, especially in the Gulf region. The relationship with the major regional rival Saudi Arabia remains tense. From a Western perspective, significant support for the Assad regime in Syria is considered problematic. Iran also supports the Lebanese Hezbollah, which is involved in the Syrian war. Another point of conflict is Iran's hostile attitude towards Israel, whose right to exist is not recognized. Common security interests have led to intensive cooperation with the neighboring states of Afghanistan and Iraq. With regard to Central Asia and the Caucasus, the country is trying to consolidate its geostrategically important position both economically and politically. Since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, relations with the USA have been severely strained. In Europe, Iran hopes, since the failed nuclear negotiations in Vienna, to gain an investing trading partner, while for the EU, human rights issues, Iranian support for radical groups, and the questioning of Israel's right to exist continue to play a role.

The Iranian economy is largely (up to 80%) in the hands of the state or religious foundations. Government programs are intended to provide incentives for the private sector to invest. The government's economic goals are formulated in five-year plans. The most important economic sector is the oil and gas industry. Other important sectors are the textile industry, agriculture, and cement and building materials production. At present, the Iranian economy is in a severe crisis, mainly as a result of international sanctions. In 2021, the gross domestic product was 3,500 USD per capita, ranking 104th internationally, and growth was 2%. With the easing of sanctions under the Vienna nuclear agreement, there is great hope of attracting foreign investors to the country and regaining access to export markets for its own raw materials and products. In this context, trade volume is expected to double. New jobs are urgently needed, as estimates suggest that the actual number of unemployed and underemployed could be as high as 40%. In addition to high unemployment, there is a major corruption problem in Iran. Child labor and low-wage work are also widespread, especially among Afghan refugees in the country.

back to top of page

8. Transport network in Iran

All international flights from Tehran are handled exclusively by Imam Khomeini Airport. The centrally located Mehrabad Airport is now used only for domestic flights.
The infrastructure in the country is relatively good. There is an extensive scheduled flight network, which allows access to all major cities in the country. However, there are only a few train connections on Iran's rail network, which is mainly operated by two railway companies for freight transport. The largest seaport is located in Bandar Abbas on the Strait of Hormuz.
The almost 200,000 km road network in Iran, which serves many domestic bus routes, is adequately paved and asphalted. Of this, 2,800 km have been developed into highways. However, the expansion of the road network no longer meets the requirements of the rapidly increasing motorization in Iran, so that the country, among other things, has one of the highest rates of fatal accidents in the world. In addition, the behavior of many road users is unpredictable and, especially in large cities, extra caution is advised for those participating in traffic. Technical defects in a large proportion of vehicles in operation (lighting, brakes, tires) present an additional accident risk.
Car journeys into the desert should only be undertaken in organized groups of several off-road vehicles and accompanied by a local guide. A navigation device as well as a sufficient supply of water, food, fuel, and spare parts are vital for survival.

back to top of page

9. Cities and regions in Iran

Iran is divided into 31 provinces, which in turn are divided into 336 administrative districts and these into 889 counties. Some of the largest cities in Iran include:

Tehran:
The capital of Iran houses about 9.3 million inhabitants (2023) in its center over an area of approximately 717 km². The population in the entire metropolitan region around Tehran is estimated at a total of 21 million inhabitants. The city of Tehran, located south of the Alborz mountains and the Caspian Sea on the Iranian plateau at about 1200 meters above sea level, has been repeatedly shaken by severe earthquakes due to ongoing seismic activity underground. Based on the earthquake intervals of around 150 years, which seismologists predict as the average to expect, a major earthquake in Tehran cannot be ruled out in the near future.
As an industrial and commercial city with universities, colleges, libraries, and museums, Tehran is an important economic, scientific, and cultural center as well as a key transport hub of Iran. In addition to museums with extensive exhibitions on Persian history, Tehran has established itself as a cultural highlight with an interesting theater scene centered around the Vahdat Concert Hall and the Fadjr Theater Festival.
Tehran is home to numerous notable palaces and mosques from the Persian period, including the Golestan Palace (seat of the Shah until 1979) and the Shah Mosque, as well as the Imam Khomeini Mosque and the Masdsched-e Shahid Motahari (Sepahsalar Mosque). Also noteworthy are the palace complexes of the former Shah in the north and northeast of the city.
One of the most well-known modern buildings in Tehran is the 45-meter high Azadi Tower, which is now considered a landmark of modern Tehran and was built in 1971 on the occasion of the 2500th anniversary of the Iranian monarchy from over 25,000 white stones quarried in Isfahan. An elevator takes you to a viewing platform on the tower, which offers a magnificent view over the city. The snow-capped peaks of the Alborz Mountains are usually visible from here.
The tallest building in Iran, the Borj-e Milad TV Tower, completed in 2007 and standing at 435 meters, is also located in Tehran, in the district of Gisha, and is regarded as the sixth tallest TV tower in the world.
Due to dense development, it took a long time for Tehran to provide sufficient recreational and green spaces. The few parks and facilities are usually relatively small and have only been created in recent times and are difficult to maintain due to the constant water shortage.

Mashhad:
Iran's second largest city lies 850 km east of Tehran at an altitude of around 985 m on the Kashaf River and is also the capital of the Iranian province of Razavi Khorasan. Mashhad has about 3.3 million inhabitants and is a political and religious center in Iran, visited annually by more than 26 million tourists and pilgrims. The city is considered one of the seven holy sites of Shia Islam, as it contains the holy shrine of the eighth Shia Imam Reza, the only burial site of a Shia Imam on Iranian soil. Together with the Goharshad Mosque, the shrine forms one of the seven sanctuaries of Shia Islam and houses one of the richest collections of art and cultural treasures in Iran.

Isfahan:
The historically significant city of Isfahan lies at 1500m above sea level in central Iran, about 400 kilometers south of the capital Tehran, in what was once the fertile valley of the Zayandeh Rud River on the edge of the Zagros Mountains. The capital of the province of the same name with about 2.1 million inhabitants (2023) saw its heyday under the Safavid dynasty (1501–1722), who made Isfahan their capital in 1598 and decorated it with numerous magnificent buildings and gardens. From this period date the still impressive palaces, minarets, and mosques with their large arches typical of Persian sacred buildings around the Imam Square in the city center. Many of the magnificent Islamic buildings are under the protection of the UNESCO World Heritage. The Armenian district of New Julfa, with the Vank Cathedral built between 1606 and 1655, combining Christian and Persian-Islamic architectural elements, also dates from the creation of these works of art — for whose construction Christian Armenians were brought into the country. Today they are still a tolerated and respected religious minority among the Muslim population in Iran. Other attractions include Imam Square Meidan-e Naghshe Jahan and the splendid avenue Chahar Bagh to the west, the numerous bridges over the now almost always dried-up Zayandeh Rud River, as well as the bazaar, which is considered one of the largest in Iran.

 

The Imam Square in Isfahan/Iran

Karaj:
With approximately 2.4 million inhabitants (2023), now the third largest city in Iran, it is almost considered a suburb of the Iranian capital due to its proximity to Tehran and the increasing expansion of both cities. The major city, formed by the merging of several towns, lies at an altitude of 1300 m above sea level at the foot of the Alborz mountains, about 40 km west of Tehran, and is the capital of the Alborz Province. It is known for the Morvarid Palace, built in the 1960s, as well as the summer palace built in 1810 by Qajar prince Solayman Mirza with four towers and surrounding gardens, which today houses the agricultural faculty of Tehran University. The caravanserai and stone bridge over the Karaj River, built by the Safavids, can still be seen today.

Tabriz:
Tabriz is the capital of East Azerbaijan in Iran. With about 1.7 million inhabitants (2023), Tabriz (the ancient Atropatene) is one of the largest cultural centers of Azerbaijan and Iranian Azerbaijanis in Iran.
Located at 1363 m above sea level in northwestern Iran near the border with Azerbaijan, the city has repeatedly been destroyed by severe earthquakes, to which most of its historical monuments fell victim. A monumental wall remnant of the 14th-century citadel and the Blue Mosque of Tabriz (Masjed-e Kabud), whose buildings have been partially reconstructed, have survived. The town hall is also worth seeing, whose tower features a German clock.

other major cities in Iran:
Shiraz (1.5 million inhabitants), Qom (1.1 million inhabitants), Kermanshah (770,000 inhabitants).

back to top of page

10. Culture and Sights in Iran

The Iranian cultural landscape is centrally organized. Responsibility for the implementation of the "Cultural Revolution" lies with the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, chaired by the President. The council coordinates the Islamization of the cultural sector. The Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance (Ershad) supervises the media, internet, publications, theater performances, music events, art exhibitions, as well as cultural and civil society organizations. Despite imposed restrictions, the Iranian cultural scene is very lively. Cultural life in the capital Tehran is vibrant with a wide selection of galleries, museums, theaters, and cinemas. Iranian film is internationally recognized. With Asghar Farhadi, Iran boasts a two-time Oscar winner (2012 & 2017). Iranian cuisine is also impressive due to its diversity and offers culinary highlights.
 

The Freedom Tower (Azadi) in Tehran/Iran

Attractions and popular destinations include the beaches of the Caspian Sea and the Persian Gulf, the deserts of Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut, cities such as Tehran and Isfahan with their historic monuments, museums, and bazaars, as well as the salt lakes Urmia Lake, Hamun Lake, Bakhtegan Lake, and Maharlu Lake.
Even more sights in Iran are described at lonelyplanet.com .

back to top of page

11. Public Holidays with Fixed Dates in Iran (2023)

The dates of the specified public holidays are based on the Islamic lunar calendar and thus shift from year to year. They are only valid for the year 2023.
 

back to top of the page

12. Medical Notes on Iran

For the duration of the stay in Iran, Iranian or German accident and health insurance is required. Since September 23, 2011, the Iranian foreign missions are obliged to verify health insurance coverage before issuing the visa. Already when applying for the visa in Germany, proof of appropriate insurance must therefore be provided by submitting an insurance contract. Travelers can obtain further information directly from the relevant Iranian foreign mission.

Specialized medical care in large parts of the country is not up to the level of the services offered in the capital in terms of hygiene, technology, and organization, and is not comparable to European standards. In addition, language barriers, especially in rural areas, can make communication more difficult. In Tehran, medical care in all specialties is generally available at a relatively high standard. Therefore, even in cases of serious illness, medical evacuation abroad, e.g. to Dubai, or immediate repatriation only rarely need to be considered. Nevertheless, adequate health insurance coverage, including travel repatriation insurance, is strongly recommended. Individual advice from a travel medicine-experienced doctor well in advance of departure is recommended (German Society for Tropical Medicine or Forum Travel and Medicine). The Federal Foreign Office also recommends checking and completing the standard vaccinations for children and adults according to the current vaccination calendar of the Robert Koch Institute on the occasion of a trip. These include, among others, hepatitis A and B, polio, tetanus, malaria prophylaxis.

Travelers should take regularly needed medication in sufficient quantities with them and have their necessity for entry certified by their doctor in English. Carrying a travel pharmacy, which not only contains regularly needed medicines but also medications for common travel illnesses, is strongly recommended, as a large part of the medicines and medical supplies available in Europe are not or are only very difficult to obtain in Iran. Especially people with chronic illnesses and those in need of treatment must be aware of the health risks of traveling to Iran. In case of emergency, the German Embassy in Tehran has a list of addresses of doctors and hospitals in the city.

Malaria can occur throughout Iran below a geographical altitude of 1,500 meters above sea level. However, the annual case numbers are not high, so the risk is low. In the north of the country, transmission is possible from June to September, in the south from May to September, and on the Persian Gulf coast all year round.
Diarrheal diseases are still relatively widespread in Iran. For prevention, it is recommended to consume only originally packaged drinks from bottles or cans or to thoroughly boil, filter, or disinfect water before drinking. Raw, uncooked, and unpeeled products should be avoided. Meat should also be well cooked before consumption. The risk of infections with salmonella, shigella, and typhoid, amoebas, giardia, and worm diseases, hepatitis A and E exists nationwide. General hygiene measures such as regular handwashing or hand disinfection after using the toilet and before eating and keeping flies away from food can reduce the risk of infection.
HIV/AIDS occurs in Iran. The risk of HIV and hepatitis B infection exists through sexual contacts, intravenous drug abuse (unclean syringes or needles), tattoos or piercings, and blood transfusions. The use of condoms is therefore strongly recommended, especially for casual acquaintances and commercial sex.
Tuberculosis is still common nationwide. Transmission occurs from person to person via droplet infection or close contact. Improper or discontinued treatments can lead to resistant and multi-resistant tuberculosis pathogens. Wearing a surgical mask does not protect against infection!
The above health information represents an incomplete selection, for which no liability is assumed. More detailed information is provided by the Federal Foreign Office. This is also the source of the health information mentioned above.

back to top of page

13. Travel information for Iran

Ramadan
Ramadan is the Islamic month of fasting, the dates of which vary from year to year depending on the lunar calendar. In the coming years, Ramadan will fall in the spring months April and March 2024. The exact dates for Ramadan can be found at Wikipedia.de. During this time of religious reflection, Muslims are required to fast, i.e., abstain from food, drinks, smoking, as well as, for example, sensuous pleasures like perfume, from sunrise to sunset. Although the fasting rules only apply to Muslims (with exceptions for pregnant women, the sick, small children, and travelers), non-Muslims should also treat Muslims' fasting with respect and be careful not to offend any religious feelings. During Ramadan, eating, drinking, and smoking in public during the day is also forbidden for non-Muslims. During Ramadan, restrictions on everyday life are to be expected (e.g., restaurants outside hotels closed during the day, reduced business hours at authorities) as well as heightened sensitivity in religious matters and regarding observance of Islamic traditions.

Safety
Individual travelers should in general avoid traveling alone at night or in remote areas. In the past, there have been some cases of sexual harassment in cities, so especially women traveling alone should take care not to remain in deserted areas, e.g., far from regularly frequented hiking routes in the mountains. Travel to the east of Kerman Province and Sistan-Baluchestan as well as to the border regions of Iran with Pakistan and Afghanistan is strongly discouraged. There is a considerable risk of kidnapping and attacks in these areas. This particularly concerns the area within the triangle of the cities Zabol, Bam, and Chabahar. The situation is more stable in the port city of Chabahar itself, provided that travel is by air. However, it is recommended to follow the ongoing development of the security situation closely. Unnecessary individual or trekking trips to the Kurdish areas in northwest Iran, especially along the Turkish and Iraqi borders, are generally discouraged. Occasionally, border crossings to Turkey and Iraq are closed. It is strongly advised not to travel overland, especially by bicycle or motorcycle, to Pakistan or Afghanistan. There is a risk of robberies and kidnapping on the route Zabul-Zahedan, and on the Kerman-Bam route, after a roadblock was erected, travelers were shot by members of a terrorist group. There are travel warnings for Afghanistan, Iraq, and the Pakistani province of Balochistan bordering Iran.
In Tehran, there are occasional personal checks by apparent security officials. The inspectors turn out to be tricksters who, e.g., after a "check", keep wallets or their contents. It is advised to insist that such checks only take place in the hotel or the nearest police station. If possible, passports and valuables should be kept in the hotel safe and only a copy of the passport carried. The number of thefts of passports, money, and bags in shops and on the street (also by motorcyclists), as well as the number of burglaries in apartments and houses, is increasing. Particular caution is required. Caution is also advised with sweets/cookies and (open) drinks offered by strangers, as thieves use knockout drops to drug and rob tourists.

Payments
Iranian banks, which had previously been excluded from sanctions, have only been able to reconnect to the international SWIFT payments system since mid-January 2016. Currently, there are still no reliable money transfer routes in private finance that foreign tourists could use at short notice. Travelers have no way to withdraw money or otherwise procure funds in Iran. Payment by credit card is only possible in very rare exceptional cases. Traveler's checks cannot be exchanged. Therefore, travelers should definitely ensure that they carry enough cash for their stay in Iran when planning their trip. Amounts of cash carried when entering and leaving the country with a value of over 5,000 USD must be declared (see also customs regulations). Foreign currency can be exchanged for rials at the airport upon entry or at various banks and exchange offices at the daily rate. The bank rate differs significantly from the exchange office rate. Changing unused rials back is generally not possible, or only possible with significant exchange losses.

General behavior and criminal law regulations
Travelers should closely follow the current political situation during their stay in Iran, and exercise particular caution during the following holidays and memorial days, as well as election days:
– Revolution Day
– Anniversary of anti-government demonstrations
– Ashura Festival
– Occupation of the US embassy
– so-called Student Day
Photography of public facilities, military sites, airports and seaports, security and government vehicles, police officers, and security forces is prohibited, can be considered espionage, and can be punished by correspondingly long prison sentences. This photography ban also applies to embassy buildings. Maximum restraint is required when photographing people.
Generally, photographing and filming (also with a mobile phone) should be handled restrictively and with the necessary sensitivity. There have been cases in which tourists had their cameras confiscated and were temporarily detained because they were suspected of photographing public buildings or demonstrations. Sending photos or travel reports that in any way relate to current political developments should also be avoided. The same applies to SMS and phone calls. Such communication is monitored, and there have been cases in which foreign nationals were charged and convicted in their home countries due to such communication. Communication within the country and abroad is at times very difficult and not always possible.
There is a particular risk for individual travelers of being suspected of espionage through conspicuous behavior or the use of technologically advanced equipment, such as GPS devices. The use or even just the import of a drone into Iran can also be considered espionage. In this context, special caution is advised when staying near security-related sites. Simply being in the vicinity of a military camp or nuclear facility can already lead to serious misunderstandings, even resulting in accusations of espionage. Stays in the immediate vicinity of the locations of nuclear facilities in Bushehr, Natanz, Qom, as well as the respective sites in the areas around Arak and Isfahan should thus be avoided.

Alcohol consumption is prohibited. Women must comply with Islamic dress codes. Arms and legs must be covered to the ankles and wrists. A coat must be at least knee-length and should conceal female body contours. Hair and neck must be covered by a headscarf. Roadside checks are becoming increasingly frequent. Men should not wear shorts. At religious sites (mosques, etc.) long-sleeved outerwear should also be worn. The laws and rules governing the relationship between men and women must be strictly observed. Contacts between unmarried individuals may be punished.
In particular, overnight stays with Iranian individuals or families whose addresses were not given upon visa application or entry may result in passport confiscation and court proceedings; when dealing with Iranian women or men in public, police checks must be expected.
Homosexual relationships are punishable. The same applies to other sexual acts if performed outside marriage. According to Iranian understanding, immoral behavior is strictly punished; in some cases, it is punishable by death.
Actions that are punishable under Western law are also prosecuted in Iran. The penalties imposed are often very severe and, in many cases, not comparable to Western legal standards. Offenses against the narcotics law are severely punished with long prison sentences, even for the smallest amounts and any kind of drugs. For serious drug offenses, murder, armed robbery, serious financial crimes, and certain other crimes, the death penalty can be imposed. Prison conditions are very harsh.

Entry and Exit Regulations
For tourist entry into Iran, a passport valid for at least six more months and a visa are required, which is only issued upon presentation of valid health insurance for Iran. Since the end of November 2018, it appears that entry is possible with a so-called paper visa or electronic visa. Visas can be applied for at the Iranian Embassy in Germany, but for German citizens also still upon arrival at an international airport. A child passport is required for minors. Violations of Iranian entry regulations can lead to criminal prosecution and disproportionately high penalties (including several years of imprisonment). When entering by land or sea, special care must be taken that an entry stamp is placed in your passport, otherwise exit will be denied. Persons with an Israeli entry stamp in their passport should expect to be refused entry.

Cash amounts up to a value of 10,000 euros may be brought in without further declaration. The export of foreign currency from Iran is limited to 5,000 euros (or the equivalent in other currencies) for air travelers; for other travelers, the restriction is 2,000 euros. The import and export of the national currency rial is currently limited to 50 million rials.
The import of alcohol, pork, and publications that could violate Iran's very strict moral code is prohibited.
Upon departure, every person may take one carpet of up to six square meters and at most 30 years old. The export of antiques (items older than 30 years) is only permitted with authorization from the Cultural Heritage Organization. Caviar must demonstrably be purchased with foreign currency. Violations of the species protection agreement are strictly prosecuted by the Environmental Ministry and can be punished with sentences of up to three years in prison. Warning is given against the export of animals of any kind.
Further and current customs information for the import of goods can be obtained from the Iranian Embassy in Germany

back to top of page